---
name: "Device::USB::Device"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "libdevice-usb-perl"
version: "0.38-3+b3"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Device::USB::Device"
---

# Device::USB::Device(3pm)

Use libusb to access USB devices.

## Device::USB::Device

This class encapsulates the USB device structure and the methods that may be applied to it.

## NAME

Device::USB::Device - Use libusb to access USB devices.

## VERSION

Version 0.38

## SYNOPSIS

Device:USB::Device provides a Perl object for accessing a USB device using the libusb library.

```
    use Device::USB;
    my $usb = Device::USB->new();
    my $dev = $usb->find_device( $VENDOR, $PRODUCT );
    printf "Device: %04X:%04X\n", $dev->idVendor(), $dev->idProduct();
    print "Manufactured by ", $dev->manufacturer(), "\n",
          " Product: ", $dev->product(), "\n";
    $dev->set_configuration( $CFG );
    $dev->control_msg( @params );
    ...
```

See the libusb manual for more information about most of the methods. The functionality is generally the same as the libusb function whose name is the method name prepended with "usb\_".

## DESCRIPTION

This module defines a Perl object that represents the data and functionality associated with a USB device. The object interface provides read-only access to the important data associated with a device. It also provides methods for almost all of the functions supplied by libusb. Where necessary, the interfaces to these methods were changed to better match Perl usage. However, most of the methods are straight-forward wrappers around their libusb counterparts.

### METHODS

- DESTROY

  Close the device connected to the object.

- filename

  Retrieve the filename associated with the device.

- config

  In list context, return a list of the configuration structures for this device. In scalar context, return a reference to that list. This method is deprecated in favor of the two new methods: configurations and get\_configuration.

- configurations

  In list context, return a list of the configuration structures for this device. In scalar context, return a reference to that list.

- get\_configuration

  Retrieve the configuration requested by index. The legal values are from 0 to **bNumConfigurations()** - 1. Negative values access from the back of the list of configurations.

  - index numeric index of the index to return. If not supplied, use 0.

    Returns an object encapsulating the configuration on success, or `"undef"` on failure.

- accessors

  There a several accessor methods that return data from the device and device descriptor. Each is named after the field that they return. All of the BCD fields have been changed to floating point numbers, so that you don't have to decode them yourself.

  The methods include:

  - bcdUSB

    - bDeviceClass

    - bDeviceSubClass

    - bDeviceProtocol

    - bMaxPacketSize0

    - idVendor

    - idProduct

    - bcdDevice

    - iManufacturer

    - iProduct

    - iSerialNumber

    - bNumConfigurations

    - manufacturer

  Retrieve the manufacture name from the device as a string. Return undef if the device read fails.

- product

  Retrieve the product name from the device as a string. Return undef if the device read fails.

- serial\_number

  Retrieve the serial number from the device as a string. Return undef if the device read fails.

- open

  Open the device. If the device is already open, close it and reopen it.

  If the device fails to open, the reason will be available in $!.

- set\_configuration

  Sets the active configuration of the device.

  - configuration

    the integer specified in the descriptor field bConfigurationValue.

  returns 0 on success or \<0 on error

  When using libusb-win32 under Windows, it is important to call `set_configuration()` after the `open()` but before any other method calls. Without this call, other methods may not work. This call is not required under Linux.

- set\_altinterface

  Sets the active alternative setting of the current interface for the device.

  - alternate

    the integer specified in the descriptor field bAlternateSetting.

  returns 0 on success or \<0 on error

- clear\_halt

  Clears any halt status on the supplied endpoint.

  - alternate

    the integer specified bEndpointAddress descriptor field.

  returns 0 on success or \<0 on error

- reset

  Resets the device. This also closes the handle and invalidates this device. This device will be unusable.

- claim\_interface

  Claims the specified interface with the operating system.

  - interface

    The interface value listed in the descriptor field bInterfaceNumber.

  Returns 0 on success, \<0 on failure.

- release\_interface

  Releases the specified interface back to the operating system.

  - interface

    The interface value listed in the descriptor field bInterfaceNumber.

  Returns 0 on success, \<0 on failure.

- control\_msg

  Performs a control request to the default control pipe on a device.

  - requesttype

    - request

    - value

    - index

    - bytes

    Any returned data is placed here. If you don't want any returned data, pass undef.

  - size

    Size of supplied buffer.

  - timeout

    Milliseconds to wait for response.

  Returns number of bytes read or written on success, \<0 on failure.

- get\_string

  Retrieve a string descriptor from the device.

  - index

    The index of the string in the string list.

  - langid

    The language id used to specify which of the supported languages the string should be encoded in.

  Returns a Unicode string. The function returns undef on error.

- get\_string\_simple

  Retrieve a string descriptor from the device.

  - index

    The index of the string in the string list.

  Returns a C-style string if successful, or undef on error.

- get\_descriptor

  Retrieve a descriptor from the device

  - type

    The type of descriptor to retrieve.

  - index

    The index of that descriptor in the list of descriptors of that type.

  TODO: This method needs major rewrite to be Perl-ish. I need to provide a better way to specify the type (or at least document which are available), and I need to return a Perl data structure, not a buffer of binary data.

- get\_descriptor\_by\_endpoint

  Retrieve an endpoint-specific descriptor from the device

  - ep

    Endpoint to query.

  - type

    The type of descriptor to retrieve.

  - index

    The index of that descriptor in the list of descriptors.

  - buf

    Buffer into which to write the requested descriptor

  - size

    Max size to read into the buffer.

  TODO: This method needs major rewrite to be Perl-ish. I need to provide a better way to specify the type (or at least document which are available), and I need to return a Perl data structure, not a buffer of binary data.

- bulk\_read

  Perform a bulk read request from the specified endpoint.

  - ep

    The number of the endpoint to read

  - bytes

    Buffer into which to write the requested data.

  - size

    Max size to read into the buffer.

  - timeout

    Maximum time to wait (in milliseconds)

  The function returns the number of bytes returned or \<0 on error.

  USB is packet based, not stream based. So using `bulk_read()` to read part of the packet acts like a *peek*. The next time you read, all of the packet is still there.

  The data is only removed when you read the entire packet. For this reason, you should always call `bulk_read()` with the total packet size.

- interrupt\_read

  Perform a interrupt read request from the specified endpoint.

  - ep

    The number of the endpoint to read

  - bytes

    Buffer into which to write the requested data.

  - size

    Max size to read into the buffer.

  - timeout

    Maximum time to wait (in milliseconds)

  The function returns the number of bytes returned or \<0 on error.

- bulk\_write

  Perform a bulk write request to the specified endpoint.

  - ep

    The number of the endpoint to write

  - bytes

    Buffer from which to write the requested data.

  - timeout

    Maximum time to wait (in milliseconds)

  The function returns the number of bytes written or \<0 on error.

- interrupt\_write

  Perform a interrupt write request to the specified endpoint.

  - ep

    The number of the endpoint to write

  - bytes

    Buffer from which to write the requested data.

  - timeout

    Maximum time to wait (in milliseconds)

  The function returns the number of bytes written or \<0 on error.

- get\_driver\_np

  This function returns the name of the driver bound to the interface specified by the parameter interface.

  - $interface

    The interface number of interest.

  Returns `"undef"` on error.

- detach\_kernel\_driver\_np

  This function will detach a kernel driver from the interface specified by parameter interface. Applications using libusb can then try claiming the interface. Returns 0 on success or \< 0 on error.

## DIAGNOSTICS

This is an explanation of the diagnostic and error messages this module can generate.

- Cannot open device: *reason string*

  Unable to open the USB device for the reason given.

## DEPENDENCIES

This module depends on the Carp, Inline and Inline::C modules, as well as the strict and warnings pragmas. Obviously, libusb must be available since that is the entire reason for the module's existence.

## AUTHOR

G. Wade Johnson (gwadej at cpan dot org) Paul Archer (paul at paularcher dot org)

Houston Perl Mongers Group

## BUGS

Please report any bugs or feature requests to `"bug-device-usb@rt.cpan.org"`, or through the web interface at \<http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Device::USB\>. I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes.

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks go to various members of the Houston Perl Mongers group for input on the module. But thanks mostly go to Paul Archer who proposed the project and helped with the development.

## COPYRIGHT & LICENSE

Copyright 2006-2013 Houston Perl Mongers

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
